Flowsheet Design of Pilot Beneficiation Plant for Melka Arba Iron and Some Essential Minerals in Ethiopia Using METSIM
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Date
2025-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Despite having abundant natural resources, including coal, iron, lithium, niobium, chromium,
gold, and tantalum, Ethiopia has a difficult time efficiently using these resources for
economic development. The absence of dedicated simulating flowsheet of pilot mineral
beneficiation facilities has hindered essential research and development activities, limiting
the optimizat ion of extraction and beneficiation techniques. This study proposes common
simulating flowsheet design of a pilot benefici ation plant for essential mineral s in Ethiopia
using METSIM simulation software, and testing the designed flowsheet by simulating the
beneficiation of Melka Arba Iron using magnetic separation method. The study was conducted by assessing the literature to ascertain the equipment demands and using mineralogical analysis to select suitable Ethiopian minerals for beneficiation in order to acquire laboratory equipment in compliance with established specifications. Then, simulate the magnetic separation of Melka Arba iron ore for testing the designed flowsheet using METSIM software. The choice of equipment is crucial to the effectiveness of the procedure. In order to accommodate the distinct mineralogy of Ethiopian ores, the design carefully integrated industry-standard equipment, such as jaw and cone crushers, ball mills, and separation technologies, such as magnetic, gravity, and flotation techniques. Operations are streamlined and redundancy is reduced because to this integration. With a magnetite recovery of almost 95%, METSIM's simulation of the beneficiation of Melka Arba iron ore validated magnetic separation as a very successful concentration technique. The effective separation of magnetite from accessory and gangue minerals was confirmed by mass balance findings. These simulation results offered a strong basis for additional process modification, allowing for enhancements in recovery rates, operational effectiveness, and the overall viability of the Melka Arba iron ore beneficiation process from an economic standpoint. In conclusion, the novel pilot process design that has been introduced here provides a scalable model for modernizing Ethiopia's mineral processing industry, tackling present issues associated with the absence of standardized beneficiation methods.
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Keywords
METSIM, Flowsheet Design, Simulation, Beneficiation Pilot Plan